Tie spacing device



Dec. 15, 1931. R GRAHAM ET AL 836,753

TIE SPACING DEVICE Filed 001;. 27, 1928 Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED (STATES- ROBERT K. GRAHAM AND PETER YOUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TIE SPACIN G DEWCE Application filed October 27, 1928. Serial No. 315,427.

Our invention relates to a device whereby railroad ties on which the track rails are superposed may be properly positioned and spaced relative to the adjacent ties.

6 The invention has for its object the provision of a device which may be easily and quickly applied to the superposed rail with out necessitating the use of separately operable special screws or wedge members.

Our invention contemplates a unit or device involving a rail engaging and gripping element and a tie engaging element fulcrumed on the rail engaging element, so that application of the rail engaging and gripping portion or element at the same time positions the tie engaging and spacing portion or element.

The objects and advantages of our invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description oi. the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation the application of our device applied to a rail which is shown in section and one end of a tie in elevation; while the upper ends of the levers of the device are broken away.

Figure 2 is an outer end elevation of the device with the upper ends broken away, while a portion of a rail is shown in side elevati on and the end of a tie.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the device in operative tie spacing position.

Figure 4 is a detail side view of the rail engaging portion of the device with the handle or lever broken away.

Figure 5 is a detail side view of the tie engaging element or lever, with the upper end broken away.

The invention, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a rail clamping or gripping member 10 having the horizontally disposed portion 11 which is adapted to rest on the ball of the rail 12. One end 13 of the portion 11,

namelv what may be termed the inner end, extends downwardly and terminates in an inwardly disposed lug or lip 14 adapted to engage with the lower face of the ball of the rail, especially when the rail gripping member 10 is slightly tilted into the position shown in Figure 3. The outer end of member 10 preferably has a downwardly extending arm 15 which in turn terminates in a laterally disposed spindle or trunnion 16 having a threaded end 17. The arm 15 is intended to be located on the outside of the track rail 12 with its spindle or trunnion 16 disposed toward the end of the tie shown at 18.

' The portion 11, at the juncture with the arm 15, is preferablv provided with the ball 6:; engaging shoulder 19 whereby proper positioning of the device is ensured; and the portion 11 is also preferably provided with a handle or lever 20.

The spindle 0r trunnion 16 provides a fulcrum point for the tie engaging and spacing member 21 which is in the nature of a lever of suitable length apertured at a distance re moved from the lower end 22, towit at 23, to receive the spindle or trunnion, 16 of the rail 7( gripping member 10. The rail gripping member 10 is preferably provided with a boss or shoulder 24 at the inner end of the spindle 16, against which a boss 25. disposed about aperture 23, abuts to maintain the tie spacer element 21 in proper position beyond the base of the rail and therefore somewhat nearer to the end of the tie as shown in Figure 1. V

The lower end of the lever or member 21 x is preferably somewhat enlarged and provided with a more or less rounded head or end, as shown at 26, in order to have sufiicient bearing against the tie and at the same time provide a better sliding relation without injury to the tie.

The tie spacing member or lever 21 is held in placeon the spindle 16 of the rail gripping member by a suitable washer 27 which in turn is held in place by the nut 28 which 00 screws onto the threaded end 17 of the spindle 16.

- In order to prevent the nut backing off or becoming lost, the threaded end 17 of the spindle 16 is provided with a hole 29 and the nut 28 is likewise provided with a hole transversely therethrough; the holes being adapted to register with each other when the nut. has been properlyscrewed onto the spindle, at" which time a suitable cotter-pin, may be inserted through the registering holes, as shown at 30.

With our improved device the ties of a railroad track may be properly spaced and slued ties quickly adjusted to the desired or proper relation without requiring the ballast to be removed, with the result that a great saving in time and labor is obtained; at the same time use of clamp screws or separate wedges is entirely eliminated.

Vhere ties are to be spared, the operator places the rail engaging member 10 onto the rail with the hook end l314 disposed beneath the ball on the inside of the rail while the tie spacing lever or member 21 is disposed on the outside of the rail. By grasping levers 20 and 21 and forcing the upper ends apart, towit toward opposite sides of the vertical axis of the spindle or trunnion 16, the lower end 26 of lever 21 engages adjacent an end of the tie, while the tilting movement of the claw or hook portion of member 10 will induce a firm gripping and nonslipping relation with the ball of the rail and the operator may exert the required force or pull on the lever 21 necessary to move the tie to the desired extent.

With our device, the operation of spacing or positioning ties can not only be more quickly accomplished, but such operation is accomplished without injury to the ties, as, however, is the case with the use of sledge hammers or wooden mauls as at present employed.

We have shown what is believed to be the simplest embodiment of our invention which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is w 1. A tie spacing device comprising rail engaging means consisting of a horizontally disposed member terminating at one end in a hook portion adapted to engage beneath the ball of the rail while the other end extends downwardly at the side of the rail, the juncture of the horizontally disposed portion and the downwardly extending end being provided with a rail-ball engaging shoulder, while the downwardly extending end has a laterally disposed trunnion, said rail engaging means being provided with an upstanding lever, an upwardly disposed tie engaging lever pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends on said trunnion so as to permit the lower end of the lever to engage the side of a tie, and means whereby said second named lever is rotatably held in place.

2. A tie spacing device comprising a hook member adapted to extend transversely of a rail with the hook portion arranged to engage beneath the ball of the rail while the other end of the member extends downwardly at one side of the rail and terminates in an outwardly disposed trunnion having a threaded outer end, said member at its top having an upstanding handle, a lever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said trunnion and provided with a. rounded tie engaging surface, and means adapted to engage with the threaded end of the trunnion for removably securing said second named lever in place.

3. A tie spacing device comprising a railengaging means having a horizontally disposed portion adapted to extend transversely of the rail-head and terminating at one end in a hook portion adapted to take beneath the rail-head on one side of the rail while the other end of said portion extends vertically on the opposite side of the rail, said means having an upstanding lever whereby the means may be tilted into rail gripping position, and a tie-engaging member fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said vertically disposed end so as to oscillate vertically whereby pressure on the upper ends or the lever and said member in opposite directions will cause the lower end of the member to force the adjacent end of a tie lengthwise of the rail away from the rail engaging means.

ROBERT K. GRAHAM. PETER YOUNG. 

